The ISCOWA Award

Following the first international conference WASCON '91 the international society ISCOWA has been established, in order to come to an organisation with the goal of stimulating exchange of know how in the field of application of waste materials in construction. ISCOWA initiates and participates in the organisation of the WASCON conference series.

As an element of competition the ISCOWA Award has been introduced. The Award is appointed to a person who has made an excellent contribution to the aims of ISCOWA. A jury selects the winner from nominations put forward by ISCOWA members and presents the winner at the WASCON conferences.
In 1994 the first Award has been appointed to Prof. Joe Cabrera from the University of Leeds and in 1997 the second winner in the chain was dr. H. A. van der Sloot from ECN, The Netherlands. The third ISCOWA Award was awarded to Dr. Ole Hjelmar of DHI, Denmark, at Wascon 2000 in Harrogate, UK. In 2003 in San Sebastián the fourth ISCOWA Award was given to the Dutch ministry for the Environment, represented by Rein Eikelboom. At Wascon 2006 in Belgrade, the fifth ISCOWA Award was given to Annette Johnson, from EAWAG, Federal Institute of Environmental Science & Technology, Switzerland. In 2009, in Lyon the sixth ISCOWA Award has been awarded to David Kosson (Vanderbilt University, USA).

New concept for the ISCOWA Award
Since 2012 the award will be given to to the young researcher (35 or younger) who presents the best paper (content and presentation) at the WASCON conference. This idea was already introduced at WASCON 2000 in Leeds with the Joe Cabrera Memorial Award, which then was won by Paula Eskola of VTT Chemical Technology, Finland. In 2012 this concept has been continued in the ISCOWA Award.
The seventh Award winner in 2012 in Gothenburg was Mieke Quaghebeur (VITO, Belgium). Nominees for the ISCOWA Award were Maria Coronada (University of Cantabria, Spain) and Bram Verbinnen (University of Leuven, Belgium). Berta Galán won the WASCON 2012 Poster Prize.
The eighth Award winner in 2015 in Santander was Ricardo del Valle Zermeño (University of Barcelona, Spain). Nominees for the ISCOWA Award were Giulia Costa (University of Rome “Tor Vergata", Italy) and Bram Verbinnen (University of Leuven, Belgium).
The nineth Award winner in 2018 in Tampere was Camille Vandervaeren (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium). Nominees for the ISCOWA Award were Jessica Giró (University of Barcelona, Spain) and Pingping HE (The Hongkong Polytechnic University, Hongkong, China).

To keep the chain growing it is important that WASCON conferences will be organised. WASCON 2021 will be organised in Hongkong, China.

Prof. Joe Cabrera receives the first ISCOWA Award at Wascon 1994

Prof. Joe G. Cabrera (middle) receives the first Iscowa Award from the Iscowa Board (Jan Hartlén -left- and Hans Goumans -right-) at the WASCON 1994 Conference.

Dr. Hans van der Sloot receives the second ISCOWA Award at Wascon 1997

Dr. Hans van der Sloot (right) receives the second ISCOWA Award from Prof. Joe Cabrera (left) at the Wascon 1997 Conference.

Dr. Ole Hjelmar received the third ISCOWA Award at Wascon 2000

Dr. Ole Hjelmar received the third ISCOWA Award at the Wascon 2000 Conference.

Rein Eikelboom received the fourth ISCOWA Award at Wascon 2003

The Netherlands Ministry of Environment, represented by Rein Eikelboom, received the fourth ISCOWA Award at the Wascon 2003 Conference.

The fifth Iscowa award has been awarded to Annette Johnson at Wascon 2006 in Belgrade.

Annette Johnson receives the fifth Iscowa Award from Rein Eikelboom at Wascon 2006 in Belgrade.
(award made by Renata Berk)

The sixth Iscowa award has been awarded to David Kosson at Wascon 2009 in Lyon.

David Kosson receives the sixth Iscowa Award from Annette Johnson at Wascon 2009 in Lyon.
(award made by Renata Berk)

The seventh Iscowa award has been awarded to Mieke Quaghebeur at Wascon 2012 in Gothenburg.

Mieke Quaghebeur received the seventh Iscowa Award at Wascon 2012 in Gothenburg.
From left to right: Berta Galán (winner of the WASCON 2012 Poster Prize), Bram Verbinnen (nominee for the ISCOWA Award), Mieke Quaghebeur (winner of the ISCOWA Award) and Maria Coronada (nominee for the ISCOWA Award)

The eighth Iscowa award has been awarded to Ricardo del Valle Zermeño at Wascon 2015 in Santander.

Ricardo del Valle Zermeño of the University of Barcelona received the eighth Iscowa Award at Wascon 2015 in Santander.
From left to right: Ricardo del Valle Zermeño, winner of the eighth ISCOWA Award, Giulia Costa (nominee for the ISCOWA Award), Bram Verbinnen (nominee for the ISCOWA Award)

The nineth Iscowa award has been awarded at Wascon 2018 in Tampere.

(award made by Renata Berk)

The nineth Iscowa award has been awarded to Camille Vandervaeren at Wascon 2018 in Tampere, Finland.

Camille Vandervaeren of the Vrije Uninversiteit Brussel (VUB) received the nineth Iscowa Award at Wascon 2018 in Tampere.
From left to right: Ole Hjelmar - chairman of the Award Jury; Carlo Vandecasteele - chairman of ISCOWA; Jessica Giró - nominee for the ISCOWA Award; Camille Vandervaeren - winner of the nineth ISCOWA Award, Niels de Temmerman - VUB; HE Pingping - nominee for the ISCOWA Award, John Heynen - Boardmember of ISCOWA (photo by Markku Rintala)

Who will present the best paper and wins the ISCOWA award 2021? Come to WASCON2021 in Hongkong, China and find out!

The ISCOWA Award acknowledges the young researcher (35 or younger) who presents the best paper (content and presentation) on resource efficiency in construction at the WASCON conference.